I recently tasted a battery of magnificent wines from Morey-Coffinet, but I was totally enamoured with this wine. In a blind tasting, this wine crushes more famous Pinot Noir village wines at double the price. I believe this is a true testament to the family’s dedication and passion for winemaking. For generations, the Morey-Coffinet family has been happily consumed with Burgundian winemaking and has garnered an incredible reputation in their long, storied history. Currently, the father-son team, Michel and Thibault, run the estate, work the vines with precision and together ruminate over decisions in the cellar. Since Thibault began working at the domaine full time, he has only increased the reputation of the winery and the quality of the wines they produce. 

In the recent documentary, A Year in Burgundy (a current must-watch on Netflix), my friend, Martine, who has been importing wine for decades, visits Domaine Morey-Coffinet. If you have seen this film, you understand the family’s selfless devotion to Burgundian wine. In a scene filmed in the family’s ancient cellar, Michel fondly reflects on his youth, “As little children, we grow up surrounded by vines and wine and cellars. By fathers and grandfathers who talk about wine, and the aromas and tannins…you start to get a feeling for wine quite quickly.” He continues to speak of his son, “By age five or six, Thibault could identify different wines by their smell.” Without hesitation, Thibault chimes in, “When I was young, it was my passion. I only went to school because I had to. When I came home, I joined my parents in the vines and the cellars.” What these heartfelt reflections reveal is that the family’s winemaking lifestyle was never really a choice, so much as it was a calling.

For the 2013 Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge “Les Chaumes,” they harvest premium fruit from a small plot located at the base of the hill in Chassagne-Montrachet. After gentle harvesting, the grapes are meticulously sorted prior to fermentation. The wine is aged in roughly thirty percent new oak, which lends depth and complexity, even in its youth. This quality of this wine affirms why producers like Domaine Morey-Coffinet timelessly represent the best of the region. Every year, they consistently produce some of my favorite value-driven reds. Their 2013 vintage is a wine to fall in love with; although it is perfectly juicy, it still maintains its inimitable, authentic Burgundian personality. 

The 2013 Morey-Coffinet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Rouge has a concentrated dark, almost opaque, ruby core with a light ruby rim. The aromatics are rich and ripe, showing aromas of freshly picked, ripe black cherries, preserved black plums, wildflowers, mushrooms, wet leather, wet herbs, wet clay, forest floor and a slight hint of baking spices. The palate is ripe, round and fruit-forward, coupled with the perfect balance of fresh acidity and precise minerality. I must stress that this wine is absolutely delicious right now. However, if it is kept in a cold cellar for three to four years, the result will undoubtedly deliver twice the pleasure. I recently enjoy their 2009 and it was insane. I feel this wine is headed in the same direction, so I highly recommend putting six to eight bottles away. At price tag just over $30, it is tough to find a better red Burgundy out there. If you do choose to enjoy this youngster soon, simply decant the wine for 20-30 minutes just above cellar temperature, around 60 degrees, and serve in large Burgundy stems. I have found this particular recipe to pair incredibly well with the young wines of the Côte de Beaune. Enjoy.